$2.82 Billion San Mateo County Budget Released, Recommended For Adoption

REDWOOD CITY-WOODSIDE, CA - From the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors: The San Mateo County Board of Supervisors at its September 26, 2017, meeting, will adopt the Fiscal Year 2017-18 budget after considering $123.1 million in revisions that include final fund balance adjustments, allocating Measure K sales tax revenue for housing and immigrant needs, and setting aside funds to replace the County’s homeless shelter and property tax system.

In June 2017, as part of the annual budget cycle, the Board of Supervisors approved a recommended budget of $2.69 billion with 5,508 authorized positions. The proposed revisions to be presented on September 26 bring the total to $2.82 billion with 5,517 authorized positions

Key September revisions include:

· $21.3 million in Measure K spending adjustments, including a $5 million loan to the Housing Endowment and Regional Trust of San Mateo County (HEART) and $276,000 to provide legal services to immigrant populations through the Legal Aid society of San Mateo County;
· $7.9 million in department reserves returned to the Sheriff’s Office while the County reevaluates plans to repurpose the Old Maguire Correctional Facility into office space;
· $15.9 million from Excess Educational Revenue Augmentation Fund (ERAF) proceeds to replace the property tax system;
· $4.4 million in road fund and sewer district funds to complete repairs from the winter storms while the County seeks reimbursement from the Federal Emergency Management Agency;
· $3.2 million in new Senate Bill 1 Road Maintenance and Rehabilitation Account (SB1) revenues for various road reconstruction and maintenance projects.
· $285,246 to hire six Call Takers, a new position in Public Safety and Communications, to improve customer service and response times, and two other positions to support the new Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) system.

During the June budget hearings, County Manager John L. Maltbie noted that the County of San Mateo’s finances remains strong but urged the Board to be fiscally prudent to control ongoing costs in the face of future political and economic uncertainties. The proposed budget also continues the County’s commitment to the Board’s adopted goals of ending homelessness, strengthening childhood literacy and improving educational outcomes for foster youth.

The FY 2017-18 Recommended Budget is part of a two-year budget cycle. The complete recommended budgets for both FY 2017-18 and FY 2018-19 are available at http://cmo.smcgov.org/fy-2017-19-budget

The Board of Supervisors will consider the proposed adjustments and adopt the final budget at 9 a.m., Tuesday, Sept. 26, 2017 in Board Chambers, 400 County Center, Redwood City. The full agenda packet will be available this week at https://sanmateocounty.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx

Image via San Mateo County